


The Ghost of Geurdo Valley

by Rodyn



Category: Dishonored (Video Games), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 03:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15572682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodyn/pseuds/Rodyn
Summary: Billie Lurk seeks further fulfillment in a life past her retirement.  She seeks out the rumor of an undocumented kingdom to the east, beyond the Pandyssian Continent.  What mystery lies in 'The Land of Knife Ears?'  The Kingdom untouched by the stain of the Void?





	The Ghost of Geurdo Valley

It is 1856. The Month of Nets. Billie Lurk is tired. 

The way she rises from her cot is no different from any other day, nor is the way she gets herself together afterwards. She exists in this world not as the sly right arm of the Knife of Dunwall, nor the stoic and guiding left arm of a Empress seeking revenge. Billie Lurk simply exists. The world allows her existence and the now-retired Assassin simply goes along with the tide. Billie Lurk stares at the cracked mirror over the bedpost to get a proper look at the fatigue that's stricken her eye. Rarely she would get a proper night of rest as the micromanagement of her skiff had taken the majority of her day. If she wasn't adjusting the motor or refining the rudders beneath, she focused on fortifying the skiff's body with as much as she could scavenge. Karnaca's outskirts had only given her so many materials to operate under -- not to mention Bille had gone over her count of 'favours' that her many colleagues across the island coast had allowed her. 

Bathe. Scrub the dirt from your hair. Try to eat something beyond bony fish and dirty water from your damaged faucets. Internal motivators tugging at Bille to be something a bit more than an automated working machine. In hindsight that motivation didn't particularly matter to her, as it would all end the same as any other day. She would set off to fish, sell, and return home with a meager amount of coin just to get by for another day. She would drink alone in the comfort of her dingy stoop that laid along the base of her shack. Read the occasional letter given to her by Dr. Hypatia. (She liked those.) Sleep, rinse and repeat. A routine worthy of someone seeking a pleasant retirement schedule. Keeping to a routine that didn't make her come out of the day so 'tired'.

Billie Lurk was always tired. There wasn't a day where the sand in Billie's eyes didn't stick around a little bit longer after she would brush them out. There wasn't a day where Billie grew tired of the community not too far out from her shack bickeringc about how the Howlers's 'renovation' process demanded too much of their coin. Tired of brushing by one of her (now aged/crumbling) WANTED posters constantly trying to hide herself from the public. It was an open secret at that point -- the one armed fisherman that may or may not be related to an Assassination from what felt like centuries ago. Karnaca, like Dunwall, was very familliar with corruption and greed allowing the streets run red for a brief moment. What was one more assassin in an island of thugs, cultists and zealots?

She was tired of Karnaca. She was tired of the gruelling repetition that drummed like a snare against her brain. Billie Lurk's bitterness had eventually fluttered out into straightforward apathy. Her routine refinement grew sloppy with no one checking her. She stopped seeing Aramis Stilton, stopped reading the letters from Dr. Hypatia. Disconnecting herself day by day from the whispers in the wall regarding Dunwall, how Empress Kaldwin had been giving the Abbey a lot less give and take than before. She simply didn't care anymore.

It is 1856. The Month of Rain.

Billie Lurk sat in the office of Dr. Alexandria Hypatia. Alex didn't seem too pleased with Billie Lurk's now surly appearance. Her hair unkempt and mismanaged, the bandage that covered her eye hadn't been replaced in a while. She reeked of salt-water and cheap liquor. Alex had the right mind of kicking her into one of the shower stalls in the institute, but even then that would escalate the issue rather than solving it. This wasn't a rekindling of a mutual partnership, sadly, as Billie came here to seek assistance from Alexandria. What kind of assistance she would never find out if she couldn't find a way to break this quiet spell.

 

Alex offered tea to Billie. She declined, stating she wasn't fond of the taste anymore.   
Alex offered sparkling water to Billie. Again she declined, murming something about the carbonation annoying her.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" Alex asked. "You won't be having anything strong, mind you. I need your mind clear." The doctor turned her head for a moment to fetch the two, well detailed glasses that hung beneath her display of graduate certifricates. Pouring herself the sparkling water and for Billie, offering a plain glass of (clean!) water. Alex knew that Billie wasn't specifically upset at her, but there was something in the back of her mind that was stopping her from behaving in a matter that she would relate Billie with.

"Megan." Alex began after taking a small sip of her drink. "If it's work you're looking for I'm certain there can be a few courier assignments you could do on my behalf. I know these 'favours' you're racking up with the rest of the Grand Council seem a bit overbearing but above all else, you are a close friend first. I would be happy to assist you in--"

Billie managed to stop Alex from elaborating with the press of her only hand across her shoulder. She finally spoke up, in a voice that sounded far more gravely than the tone she used before.

 

"I need a ship. I need to leave. I need to leave, and never return to Karnaca." Her straightforward demand had managed to loosen up whatever reserves Alex had, as she was relieved that the 'worst' of her theories proved to be untrue. Still she didn't really get the purpose of leaving the island, or at least didn't get it until Billie continued on.

 

"I need to leave the Isles. I want to head north." The tone of desperation in Billie's voice had only brought back her worries. Did she owe more people money that her meager work as a fishmonger couldn't pay off? Did her goodwill with Empress Kaldwin finally run out? Regaining just a bit of her focus, Alex interrupted her thoughts with her own comment towards Billie's demands. "Leaving Karnaca...well yes, that can be arranged. But the Isles? On a ship that isn't leased or under maintenance by the Empire? Megan, that's a venture that I don't think I'm capable of putting forward. Not even Aramis could --"

Billie interrupted Alex. "I don't care how new or old the ship is. I don't care of the extent of the undercover work. I'll take my skiff if necessary. I just needed to know if you would be willing to help me. It's obvious that you're uncomfortable with the idea, so I suppose I'll take my leave." With that statement said, Billie's habit of cutting conversations short came into play at this moment regardless of how Alex would take it. The doctor looked disheartened to see Billie's ultimatium, her hand reaching out in an attempt to stop her from leaving the room.

"...The most I can do, out of my own pocket, is provide you with enough supplies to at least pass through Gristol unattended. Maybe perhaps even reach Tyvia. Beyond that I'm afraid is beneath my capabilities. I'm sure there's someone in Gristol that could aid you with a ship. Perhaps Empress Kaldwin?" Billie sucked her tongue, stopping herself from saying something vile before continuing. "The most Her Grace will even do for me is get me through the city with a pardon and a pat on the back." 

 

She turned around. Alex successful in keeping Billie from departing, but the look of disdain still remained on her face. 

"I have one lead that'll potentially get me out of Gristol and pass into Tyvia, but I'm unsure if they're even alive." As Billie continued to show her displeasure, Alex's discomfort only grew worse. Stammering over every other word in her attempt to conjur a sentence. 

 

"Seek -- Seek Azariah Filmore." The name was familiar to Billie, but she was a bit surprised to hear that name out of Alexandria. She continued on as she noticed the look in her face changed from it's previous scowl. "An entrepenur. There are rumors, flimsy and irrational at best, but rumors nonetheless. A rumor a country not on the map showcasing the isles. I believe...perhaps a bit of adventure will adjust that need to travel out, Megan." Alexandria's sincerity remained even as her words grew a tad disjointed. Billie couldn't stay too upset at her for that matter alone. She definitely had no ounce of trust for the man formerly known as 'Slackjaw'. but to hear the opportunity from the only person she would throw herself into the Void for in Karnaca it was certainly something that would at least do something about her apathy.

 

Billie offered her hand to shake, to which Alex remained a bit hesitant in shaking. Noticing that she wasn't taking the offer Billie sighed and made her way for the exiting door. "I'll repay you for this someday, Dr. Hypatia." Alex didn't need the money. The only thing she had required was the peace of mind of one of the few, non-work friends she had left.

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know what the fuck i'm doing anymore


End file.
